What Happens After a Pacemaker Is Implanted?
Once the pacemaker is implanted, it is important that the patient be followed by a pacemaker clinic or a commercial group that specializes in pacemaker follow-up. The physician implanting the pacemaker should help the patient arrange appropriate follow-up. Pacemaker follow-up is usually done on a defined schedule. The schedule may vary depending on who is in charge of following or checking the pacemaker. Some physicians will prefer that the patient be seen in the office on a regular basis to have the pacemaker checked. Others will arrange a pacemaker check to be done by telephone, called transtelephonic monitoring, with periodic visits in the office or clinic. In many offices, the pacemaker check will be performed by a nurse or technician that is specially trained in management of pacemakers.
Once the pacemaker is implanted, it is important that the patient be followed by a pacemaker clinic or a commercial group that specializes in pacemaker follow-up. The physician implanting the pacemaker should help the patient arrange appropriate follow-up. Pacemaker follow-up is usually done on a defined schedule. The schedule may vary depending on who is in charge of following or checking the pacemaker. Some physicians will prefer that the patient be seen in the office on a regular basis to have the pacemaker checked. Others will arrange a pacemaker check to be done by telephone, called transtelephonic monitoring, with periodic visits in the office or clinic. In many offices, the pacemaker check will be performed by a nurse or technician who is specially trained in management of pacemakers. Pacemakers are checked with a special device called a programmer. A portion of the programmer is simply held over the pacemaker and is able to communicate with the pacemaker. It can obtain informat
